Panasonic is pushing its new line of Lumix G3 cameras with in-store postcards that let consumers interact with the product via their mobile device.

The campaign, which is being used in 1,500 British stores, builds on the recent success of the camera’s print ad initiatives. Panasonic used augmented reality platform Aurasma to roll out the campaign.

“The strategy behind the campaign was for users to interact with a piece of technology in a way that they haven’t before,” said Nick Rushton, European marketing executive at Autonomy, Cambridge, England.

Autonomy is a pure software company which produces Aurasma and has dual headquarters in Cambridge and San Francisco.

Panasonic is represented by the creative agency Brave, which is based in London.

In-store interaction
50,000 postcards are currently in-stores at participating retailers, including Best Buy, Comet and Jessops.

To use the print advertisements, users download the Aurasma application, which is available in both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android Market.

After opening the app, consumers point their mobile devices at the cards and watch a one-minute promotional that gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the campaign was shot.

Consumers can click to exit the video at the 30-second mark or watch the video completely before they are directed to the Lumix G3 mobile site, where they can learn more about the product.

Once on the mobile site, users can access a store locator to find the nearest retailer that sells the camera or search to buy the product online.

Additionally, users can enter to win photo tutorial sessions and see additional photographs from the Lumix G3 campaign.

Picture perfect
To drive the inspiration and creativity associated with photography and the camera, Panasonic decided to use photographs as a jumping place for photography enthusiasts.

“The pictures that consumers use with the campaign goes hand in hand with the idea, thought and diversity of the camera,” said Stefan Kann, broadcast director at Brave, London.

“It’s another way to engage with consumers in a deeper way,” he said.

Two scenes were shot for the campaign – one in Yosemite National Park and one in New York – by two different Britain-based photographers that came to the U.S. to test drive the cameras in both landscape and urban environments.

“The two postcards that users can interact with show the different ways that consumers can use the camera and really play up the art of photography that the camera establishes,” Mr. Kann said.

“The goal of the campaign is to reinvigorate multimedia experiences with print,” he said.

“It is meant to engage consumers with in-store advertising in a way that they can actually experience it.”

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York